Dear Cousins, Like all of you, I am struggling to find my way through the horror that surrounds all of us. It has been quite wonderful to see the response from the entertainment community, especially as they participated in the September 11th Fundraising telethon last night (Friday, 21). I fantacized reaching Jack Nicholson or Sly Stallone! Seeing these well-known American icons contribute their presence and their music was so impressive. Anyone wishing to contribute to The September 11th Fund may send their donations in care of United Way of New York City, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016, (212) 251-4035. Donors may specify the community (New York City, Washington, D.C. or other affected areas) where they would like their contributions to help. Contributions are also being accepted on United Way of New York City's Web site at www.uwnyc.org. On the other side of the coin, it is appalling to see the negative, destructive reactions of some people toward the situation. I received the first internet scam e-mail yesterday, asking for money for a Sierra Leone woman. Please be on guard against these things! Please be sure you're devoting your energies and money to legitimate Funds and charities working to help the victims and to heal us as a people. A full 100% of the moneys contributed to the September 11th Fund will be used for victims -- no administrative fees are being deducted. There are disturbing local and national reports about Muslim people and those who simply look "middle-eastern" being terrorized -- one woman here (Portland, OR) was spat upon as she shopped for groceries for her family -- and gun sales have doubled. Who are these guns going to be used against? Other grocery shoppers wearing head coverings? On the one hand we see big hearted Americanism, and on the other, fearful, small-minded cowards! Unfortunately, I fear this mixed reaction is American also. As a people we have not been ennobled overnight because of this tragedy. We will still have scoundrels and nay-sayers amid the heroes. What is important is what we do as individuals -- what our hearts' response will be. One of our list members received a well-meant, but offensive poem written by a teenage girl about God's wrath coming down on Americans for their sinful ways. This same tune was reiterated by one of my own friends yesterday, and frankly, I have no more patience with it than our listmember did. A long time ago I decided that what I believed was God and Godly in my life was much larger than than what most prozeletizers hold forth as their own rigid, limited beliefs. The thought that someone is un-Godly, a "Sinner," or " Evil," because they hold different concepts of God than I do, is exactly what the Taliban and these petty bin Laden types are propounding, and for which they seek to inflict their judgement and punishment upon us. We will respond to the Taliban government and the bin-Laden style terrorists in a unified, American manner. To those among us who want to limit us as a people, we can respond with typical American resolve: Dear Limited God Pronouncers! Dear Hateful Intolerant Bigots! Dear Fearful Gun Toters! An old 20th century American cartoon possum named Pogo answered you best: "We have met the enemy and he is US!" I am ashamed of you, I am sorry for you, and I deny you represent what America and Americans are truly about! We have American history to guide us. One of the stars last night quoted Franklin Roosevelt's post-Pearl Harbor pronouncement on the Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech; Freedom of Worship; Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear. There was not enough time to elucidate on Roosevelt's entire speech, given on 6 January 1941. But there are several sites on the internet which give it, and it is just as powerful a response to terrorists (at home and abroad) as it was 60 years ago. http://www.libertynet.org/~edcivic/fdr.html Norman Rockwell created posters of the Four Freedoms, and they still are powerful American icons, housed at the National Archives: http://www.nara.gov/exhall/powers/freedoms.html The Freedom of Worship poster reminds us that this Freedom is pursued by "Each According to the Dictates of His Own Conscience." Amen. Our lives will creep forward, and our protean national definition will be enhanced in the days to come. Our national identity will be strengthened, and traditional American love of fairness and "justness" will prevail along with American justice. I am sure of it. We can look to our national history to better understand who we truly are as a people. Love, Your Cousin, Carolyn Carolyn McDaniel cmacdee@teleport.com ========================================= --- Visit American Crossroads --- http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~amxroads